BJP MP: Joshi-led House panel’s report reeks of ideological bias

NEW DELHI: A BJP lawmaker has objected to the draft report of Parliament’s estimates committee on measuring growth, employment and income and has urged the panel not to adopt the report saying it “reeks of ideological bias, lack of understanding of economics.”

“I would like to point out that the report in its present form and the averments contained in it are a mish-mash of ignorance and prejudiced views that can potentially contribute to damaging India’s economic reputation and the credibility of its long established data collection systems,” BJP Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey said in his letter to Murli Manohar Joshi, chairperson of the committee on estimates.

“Such a poorly drafted report, therefore, will be viewed as a blatant political intervention in the sacrosanct business of collecting statistics and impact India’s reputation and economic credibility,” Dubey said.

A row has erupted between the estimates committee chairman and veteran BJP leader Joshi and his party colleagues over the panel’s draft report criticising GDP estimation and has seen BJP MPs accuse him of ignoring and overturning evidence presented to the committee.

Any report by the estimates panel has to be adopted unanimously and any dissent by a member makes it difficult for its adoption.